


How I love you; Let me count the ways

by DNAGraceless



Series: Tell Me Our Future [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 17:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14835626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DNAGraceless/pseuds/DNAGraceless
Summary: Winter tried to make amends with her mother for  her brother and sister's sake. Willow doesn't make it easy; especially when the subject of Qrow is brought up





	How I love you; Let me count the ways

Summer in Atlas was colder than any winter in the other three kingdoms, but it was warm enough for Winter to be sitting out on the balcony of a high-end restaurant in central Atlas without her coat.

 _“Sometimes I think you’ve really got good ice in your veins Win,”_ She could hear Qrow’s voice in her mind, hear the affectionate teasing in his voice as she remembered the feeling of his arms wrapped around her as they lie in bed that morning.

The memory was the only thing stopping her from taking her knife out from the bottom of her boot and stabbing herself in the hand, just so she had an excuse to leave.

Winter glanced across the table at her mother. It unnerved her sometimes how much alike they looked; the same eyes, the same nose, same high cheekbones. Still, she supposed, it was the lesser of to evils; her mother was beautiful, and she didn’t have the same suspicious expression permanently plastered on her face that Winter’s father had.

“The staff here has gone downhill since we frequented the restaurant,” Willow sighed, scowling at her cup, “I ordered ice water; not whatever this warm citrus concoction.”

“Can’t you just pour normal water and wait?” Winter asked monotonously, staring out over the city, her chin propped on her hand. She heard her mother’s soft sigh and her cup being sat down on the table.

“You cut your hair,” Her mother acknowledged, crossing her legs and resting her hands in her lap. “Can I ask why?”  
“I wanted to,” Winter answered simply.

“Right. Your brother and sister mentioned you left the military.”

Winter took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, watching it appear and dissipate in front of her.

“Yes,” She answered. “I trained to become a huntress, and I felt my time in the military had come to an end.”  
“James must be devastated to lose his best soldier,” She probably meant it as a compliment, but the comment ground on her.

“Well I’ve known him my whole life, I would hope my worth extended beyond being one of his soldiers.”  
“Of course, I didn’t mean…” Willow trailed off. Winter had always been difficult to get along with, and since it had been so long since she had put any effort into a relationship with her eldest daughter she wasn’t sure how. All she knew was that if she wanted a relationship with Weiss and Whitley, she had to be amicable with Winter.

“Have you taken many jobs as a huntress?” She asked, changing the subject from her feeble excuse of an apology which did not go unnoticed by Winter.

“A few.”

“Have you been working with anyone? It’s dangerous work as it is; more so to take on missions by yourself.”  
“I know. I’ve been working with… a partner. We worked together on the post-war team the council put together.”  
Willow nodded. “Whitley mentioned Ms Violet was on your team. She was in your class in Alsius, wasn’t she?”  
Winter barely refrained from rolling her eyes; as if her mother knew who as in her class. Reyna’s family wasn’t rich enough to stand in her mother’s circle; they weren’t even from Atlas. Weiss probably told her.

“It’s not Reyna; she returned to Mistral as soon as the team as disbanded.”  
“So who is it?”  
“I doubt you’ve heard of them,” She lied.

“Probably,” Her mother agreed, “Which is why I’m asking you to tell me about them. They must be something special for you to trust them with your life. I imagine you still don’t trust easily.”  
Winter hoped the rosiness from the cold covered up the blush she felt in her face. _Something special_. Well, she wasn’t wrong.

“He’s a huntsman, actually. From Vale. Mistral, originally, but he attended Beacon.”  
“What’s his name?”  
Winter chewed her lip, hesitating. “Qrow. Qrow Branwen. He’s a huntsman and teacher in Vale-”

“I know who he is.” Willow cut her off, her voice calm, like the stagnant surface of a lake hiding a swimmer being torn to shreds by a shark. Winter bit her lip, waiting for some kind of reaction. Willow took a breath, clearly thinking hard on her approach.

“I… I thought you two didn’t get along?”

“That was a long time ago, and… blown out of proportion. We got to know each other while working together. We actually make a good team.” She chose her words just as carefully.

“It’s rather dangerous, isn’t it? To work with someone so… different?”

“Different?”  
Willow sighed. “I know who the Branwen’s are, Winter. I’ve heard of the tribe of murderers and thieves in Mistral,”  
“Qrow’s not one of them,” She snapped, “He left when he was in Beacon.”  
“That doesn’t change who he is.” Willow said, picking up her drink, “You can’t change the base of who someone is,”  
“That’s unfortunate,” Winter said pointedly.

Willow slowly set her drink back down, leaning back in her chair, a flicker of realisation that Winter Did Not like came across her face.

“You seem quite fond of him.”  
Winter was definitely blushing now. Six months together and she was still flustered whenever the relationship was acknowledged, or even hinted at.

Willow let out a deep breath, a puff of fog appearing from her lips.  
“I suppose bad taste in men is hereditary,” Willow said, leaning back in her chair, “It’s a good thing your sister is dating that Ruby girl; might be able to save herself some heartbreak,”  
Winter tensed up, gripping the arm of her chair. “I do not have ‘bad taste’ in men,” She said through gritted teeth; she had become somewhat protective of him since learning of all the torment he had gone through at the hands of his tribe.

“You’re not sleeping with him then?”  
“That’s none of your business.”  
“Is that a yes?”  
“We’re not ‘sleeping together’, we’re dating.” It sounded juvenile, but it also sounded better than just ‘sleeping together’.

“How long?”  
“Six months.” She snapped as soon as her mother had even finished the question.

“Who made the first move?” She asked as the waitress sat the food down.  
She looked down at her hands, almost trembling with anger; after all this time her mother could still get her worked up unlike anyone else. Her mind went back to the first kiss in Alabaster, him chasing her to the airport and asking her to stay.

“He did. So what?”  
Willow sighed, picking up her fork. “You do know he’s only with you because you’re rich, right?” She told her, picking at her meal.

Winter reached forward, knocking Willow’s plate off the table.

“You can’t behave yourself, can you?”  
“Screw. You,” Winter said angrily, her teeth gritted together.

“I’m just trying to save you the heartache Winter. You think if you weren't rich and beautiful he would-”

“Qrow is _not_ Jacques. Don’t you dare presume to know anything about him. About us.”  
“I’m not trying to start a fight-”

“It’s too late for that.” Winter assured her, standing up, “stay the hell away from me,”  
“We should try to get along for the kids-”

“ _The kids_ are better off without you; we all were. If Weiss and Whitley still want to be around you good for them but don’t drag me into it.”

She grabbed her coat from the back of her chair and stormed out of off the balcony.

Willow sighed. “Every time,”

 

 

Winter stormed into her apartment, slamming her door closed behind her. 

"Win?" Qrow called from the bedroom. She turned in time to see him appear in the doorway, his shirt and shorts a mess and his hair sticking up in every direction. His confusion turned to sympathy when he saw her.

"I take it the lunch didn't go well?" He asked. 

"I don't want to talk about it," Winter snapped, walking into the kitchen. She opened a few doors before slamming them shut, desperate to occupy her hands, before giving up and resting her head on the stainless steel of her refrigerator. 

"Winter?" Qrow's inquired softly. Warm tears slipped down Winter cheeks and Qrow walked over, pulling her into a hug. 

"You're freezing," He sighed, holding her close. "What happened?"  
"What always happens. I should have known better than to try."  
"You were just trying to be a good sister. Do you want to talk about it?" 

Winter didn't answer, just wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. "I love you Qrow,"  
"I love you too Win."  
"She said you were only with me because I'm rich," She blurted out, feeling him tense up against her. He stepped away, one hand on her arm, the other lifting her chin to look him in the eye. 

"You know that's not true right?" He said, as serious as she had ever seen him. "I couldn't give a shit about your name or your money. I love you,"  
Winter nodded, feeling fresh tears in her eyes. Qrow hugged her again, tighter this time. 

"Come on," Her said, ushering her back towards the bedroom, "We need to warm you up."  
Winter let him take her into the bedroom, wrap her up in her favourite blanket and turn up the heating. she lay against his chest as he played with her hair. As she drifted off she made out the words he was muttering. 

"I love your hair. I love watching you fight. I love how you love your brother and sister. I love your laugh. I love how determined you are. I love how passionate you are. I love the dimples on your cheek when you laugh. I love how competitive you are. I love how you pout when you're sleepy. I love when you steal my clothes. I love when you cuddle up to me when you sleep. I love that you love me. I love you. I love you. I love you."

Winter finally fell asleep, safe, loved, and warm in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Super cheesy, I know. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you.


End file.
